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Haiti Earthquake: How You Can Help

The Entertainment Industry Foundation and iParticipate are saddened by the devastation and pain caused by the major earthquake in Haiti. We encourage the generous support of organizations that provide urgent and ongoing assistance to those affected.

American Red Cross
With estimates that as many as three million people may be affected by the catastrophic earthquake which hit Haiti on January 12, the American Red Cross has committed $10 million to support relief efforts in Haiti. Thousands of local Red Cross volunteers are aiding their fellow Haitians. American Red Cross Disaster management specialists are scheduled to arrive from the United States, Peru and Mexico to join local Red Cross staff already on the ground in the disaster zone. As soon as airports begin accepting relief shipments, tarps, hygiene items and cooking sets for approximately 5,000 families will come from the Red Cross warehouse in Panama. The American Red Cross is also helping the injured who may need blood. Blood and blood products were shipped to the U.S. Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida, and then on to Guantanamo Bay to help Haitian evacuees and patients. Donations to the American Red Cross will support emergency relief and recovery efforts to help those people affected by the earthquake in Haiti. Assistance provided by the American Red Cross may include sending relief supplies, mobilizing relief workers and providing financial resources and recovery.

World Health Organization (WHO)
WHO is working with local authorities, United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners to respond to the emergency. More specifically, WHO is supporting the Haitian government to best coordinate international health assistance to the country. WHO is also collecting data on the health impact of the earthquake to disseminate to other humanitarian aid providers. In addition, WHO is deploying a 12-member team of health and logistics experts. The WHO experts being sent include specialists in mass casualty management, coordination of emergency health response and the management of dead bodies.

World Food Programme (WFP)
WFP is well positioned to respond to the emergency as it already has stocks of food pre-positioned in the country. In the initial phase of the operation, WFP will distribute nutritious high energy biscuits, which require no cooking. In addition, it will airlift 86 metric tons of food from its emergency hub in El Salvador. This will allow the WFP to feed 30,000 people in urgent need for food for up to seven days. WFP emergency staff will also be deployed to the affected areas.

Partners in Health (PIH)
With its hospitals and highly trained medical staff in place in Haiti, Partners In Health is already mobilizing resources and preparing plans to bring medical assistance and supplies to areas that have been hardest hit. In Boston, its procurement and development teams are already fielding numerous offers of support and making arrangements to deliver resources as quickly as possible to the places where they are needed most. Founded by the renowned Dr. Paul Farmer, PIH has been working in Haiti since 1985 and is well-established, well-respected and has been successful in bringing quality health care and services to the country.

ONEXONE
ONEXONE is committed to supporting, preserving and improving the lives of children at home in the U.S., Canada, and around the world. Since 2006, ONEXONE has been committed to improving the conditions in Haiti and is now working hard to aide in that country’s disaster relief. In partnership with Yele Haiti, ONEXONE has facilitated more than $1 million in support. In addition, ONEXONE is working closely with Partners in Health (PIH) to help treat acute malnutrition in 6,000 Haitian children. ONEXONE remains committed to helping with both immediate emergency response and long-term support for Haiti and its people in this time of dire need.

Additional resources:

General information on the relief effort and the organizations supporting it can be found at
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34835478/ns/world_news-haiti_earthquake/

Americans with family in Haiti should contact the U.S. State Department Operations Center at 1-888-407-4747

Those seeking word about missing loved ones can make inquiries at
http://www.koneksyon.com

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